Energy stocks among largest S&P 500 gainers in 1H

With the first half of the year now on the books, a look-back at the stock horse race underscores investors’ unwavering bet on energy.

Three of the top ten performers among the S&P 500 stocks — Newfield Exploration, Nabors Industries and Williams Companies — are energy companies, according to data from FactSet.

While the S&P 500 is up about 6.8% for the year, the index’s energy sector rose 13% during the period, according to a first-half summary by MarketWatch.

Newfield Exploration, an oil exploration company based in the Houston area, outpaced the others in the S&P 500, with a 77% gain for the year. Its revenue from oil, gas and natural gas liquids rose 49% year-over-year in the most recent quarter to $553 million.

Williams Companies’ shares are up 51% for the year. The Tulsa, Okla.-based company, which owns and operates natural gas pipeline systems throughout the country, also led the S&P 500 index in the second quarter, with shares rising 44% during the three-months period, notes 24/7 Wall St.